57.

“Haha! I thought I was the only one who knew, but it seems the whole Empire knows!”

“Morfolk hasn’t had a foot in the Grand Conference for decades! It’s a shameful thing, indeed. If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to set foot in the Imperial City!”

“Do you not know that vicious woman? Do you think she’d miss a seat that decides Romdak’s interests? Even if she were in hell, she’d force her way to attend!”

“Hmph, a noble running a merchant guild, indeed. Perhaps this is all a result of her tarnishing the noble name!”

Everyone started talking about whether the head of McFoy would attend. For them, the sordid rumors linking McFoy to Tantaros were already established facts.

In the midst of their filthy gossip, only the head of the northern Norton family kept his mouth tightly shut, looking displeased. He was the uncle of Archie McFoy and the brother of Aisa McFoy’s deceased sister-in-law, Roxy. The Norton family had long-standing ties and friendly relations with the McFoys.

“By the way, is she really alive? They say she had an audience with His Majesty, but no one else has seen her!”

“Indeed! It could just be a McFoy trick. Who knows if the dealings with the Diazi family and the delegation were just a deception?”

It had been quite some time since they heard that the head of McFoy had returned alive, yet not a single person there had seen her.

Had she really died back then? If not, was there some other reason she hadn’t shown herself?

They were keenly interested in the head of McFoy’s attendance, finding both possibilities equally intriguing. As the murmuring grew louder, a young page shouted loudly.

“The representative of the Diazi family enters!”

The heads of the families, who had been laughing and chatting, suddenly fell silent as if it had never happened.

When the solemn Milan Diazi entered the conference hall, there was nothing but the sound of embarrassed clearing of throats. Such was the presence he commanded.

Everyone fidgeted uncomfortably in the deathly silence, until the page called out again.

“The head of McFoy enters!”

In the now solemn atmosphere, the boy’s voice echoed even more powerfully through the conference hall. At the same time, the massive doors, which required four young pages to open, began to part on both sides.

In the brief moment the doors were opening, the tension in the hall was even greater than when Milan Diazi had appeared. Many eyes turned toward the slowly widening gap, and some lowered their heads, avoiding meeting the eyes of whoever entered.

Finally, stepping through the open doors, it was unmistakably Aisa McFoy. It was her first official appearance since the ‘McFoy kidnapping incident’ at the founding festival.

They couldn’t hide their looks of surprise, curiosity, and a bit of disappointment as she appeared, seemingly unscathed.

‘She really is alive.’

‘Despite all the rumors and humiliation, she still showed up?’

‘What a persistent woman!’

The heads of the families murmured similar thoughts. Only Milan Diazi and the head of the northern Norton family remained composed.

* * *

‘It seems they’re all dumbstruck. I like it.’

Milan Diazi, who had stayed at McFoy recently, wasn’t surprised to see me.

The head of the Norton family had also been in close correspondence with me. He was Archie McFoy’s uncle, and the Nortons controlled a major land route in Romdak and a key position leading to the Eastern Continent.

I stepped into the quiet conference hall. Those who slandered McFoy were, in the end, mostly people who couldn’t utter a word in front of me.

With each step, the long cloak adorned with the family crest fluttered. The silver-threaded lotus flowers and the sun enveloping them created a magnificent display.

Those arrogant old men had no choice but to bow to me. It was exhilarating.

Enjoying the gap between us, I momentarily flinched when I saw Milan Diazi seated gracefully opposite me. I remembered how poorly I had treated him recently.

However, I didn’t show any sign of agitation and took my seat. As usual, except for the Emperor, I was the last to sit.

Just like the protagonist making a grand entrance, this was also a form of asserting dominance. On a day like today, it was crucial to suppress any opposition early on.

Today was no ordinary day; it was the Grand Conference!

“It hasn’t been long, has it?”

Feigning nonchalance, I opened the conversation, causing several people to flinch. Some still couldn’t take their eyes off me, marveling at my intact condition.

Their fascinated expressions were quite displeasing.

‘They must have gossiped plenty about me before I arrived. It would be fitting to return the favor with a bold remark.’

Thinking so, I lifted one corner of my mouth into a crooked smile. The thought of raising the blood pressure of these old lords made my lips curl up.

“No new faces again. You all live such long lives. What’s your secret?”

My playful voice made all the old lords turn their heads towards me. They blushed with anger at my provocation but no one dared to protest directly.

“Haha, why so serious? I just meant it’s nice to see familiar faces.”

Feigning kindness, I squinted and smiled. Then, one old lord, unable to hold back any longer, jumped up, but at that exact moment, the page shouted loudly.

“The head of McFoy! What nonsense―!”

“The Crown Prince is here! Everyone, show your respect!”

Thanks to the page’s loud announcement, the old lord’s angry voice was drowned out. At the perfect timing, I openly chuckled.

‘The Crown Prince, huh. The Emperor is moving to solidify his successor.’

As I stood up and bowed deeply, I was inwardly surprised. I hadn’t expected the Emperor to present the Crown Prince at such a significant event already.

The Crown Prince, as far as I knew, had never officially participated in state affairs, and more importantly, he was…

‘Isn’t he too dumb to be presented publicly yet?’

Crown Prince Billinent Rodensi entered the conference hall, trailed by his attendants and knights.

Everyone bowed deeply, their gazes fixed on the floor, while Billinent slowly walked to the most prominent seat, inspecting the heads of the noble families as he passed.

The Crown Prince, often called the “little sun” of the Empire, looked down coldly at the heads of families, most of whom were old enough to be his grandparents.

As it was his first time stepping in as the Emperor’s representative, a power struggle was inevitable. He did not easily allow the heads to lift their heads. The moment they felt his arrogant gaze on their crowns, it was clear: Crown Prince Billinent was as arrogant as rumored.

‘Of course, being a Rodensi, he certainly has a dog-like temper. After all, seventeen is the age when they are especially rebellious.’

Indeed, his temper seemed to be inherited from the late Crown Princess Calliphe, but the rumors about his stupidity might be true. And perhaps it was just my imagination, but that insolent gaze seemed to linger particularly long on my head.

“You may all lift your heads.”

Aha―. The moment I raised my head and met his gaze, I knew for certain.

The Empire’s little sun, the young master, was wary of McFoy.

‘The astute Emperor must have instructed him to be cautious of McFoy.’

The Emperor had taken a lot from me. In return, he had allowed me much, so while it had been satisfying to consume what was given, looking back, the results were less than favorable.

Considering the imperial power, having a specific noble family wield too much power was never desirable.

Regardless, I decided to yield to the young man who resembled the Emperor in stature. In front of an arrogant fool who had never bowed his head in his life, it was essential to adjust one’s strength accordingly.

I lowered my gaze and willingly bowed my head once more to the Crown Prince.

Only then did the boy withdraw his aggressive gaze. He likely thought he had won the first power struggle thanks to my respectful demeanor, and that was perfectly fine.

Soon, Billinent Rodensi solemnly announced the opening of the session, his voice surprisingly dignified. It seemed he had practiced.

The fact that Billinent had stepped up as the heir earlier than expected was unforeseen, but there was something more important at the moment. In truth, the foolish, prematurely aged boy was not particularly significant.

“Let’s begin with the transit tolls.”

The transit tolls. Romdak’s success story began with maritime trade via sea routes, but the land routes connecting to the Eastern Continent were also crucial sources of revenue.

Therefore, the transit tolls for these land routes were a critical issue that could control Romdak’s income. It was also time to demonstrate the continued strength of the head of McFoy.

Hoo.

I took a deep breath. The brutal brawl among the heads of the families for the profits of the next two years was about to begin.

* * *

“Sir Diazi. Perhaps you should think it over a bit more.”

After numerous earnest pleas, Norma stopped responding and instead replaced his words with his characteristic sunny smile. The determination felt in that seemingly benevolent smile made Collins, the head of the Holy Knights, sigh softly.

About 20 years ago, the two had been knighted in the Holy Order in the same year, so they had some familiarity, but they couldn’t be called close friends.

The Holy Knights Order accepted anyone capable of handling holy power and swordsmanship, regardless of their background. It was a place where order was maintained solely through holy power and martial skill.

Collins was of common birth, which made it hard for him to treat Norma, the eldest son of the Diazi family, as a peer.

His stunning, almost divine appearance played a part in this. Norma’s exceptional looks attracted people like a magnet, but also gave the impression of a sanctified barrier that should not be crossed.

However, this didn’t mean he had no close friends. Collins knew that Norma was famously close with a royal knight named Igo. And Igo was…

Collins shook his head, not wanting to dwell on it further.

Regardless, Collins had spent years observing Norma up close. He was one of the few who knew that beneath the surface, Norma was quite stubborn and resolute.

So he understood that the smiling Norma was an insurmountable barrier.

“…”

Collins looked at Norma, who still had the same youthful face from 12 years ago. It felt strange to see himself in his mid-thirties while Norma remained in his early twenties.

When he first heard the news that Norma had returned alive, he couldn’t believe it. Collins, like everyone else, had thought Norma was dead.

And with good reason. It was such a curse. The curse Norma had suffered was one that pulverized the body and soul, scattering them until they were gone forever.

Everyone had thought Nicholas Diazi’s claims that his brother wasn’t dead were just delusions born of guilt.

‘He must have truly deflected the curse and saved his brother.’

Even seeing him now, it was hard to believe. At the same time, Collins was deeply worried about Norma, who had awoken from a long sleep.

So when Norma abruptly sought him out to announce his intention to leave the Holy Order, Collins had assumed it was because he was still confused and unsettled.